The cost of caring for people with mental health disorders is expected to spiral, a report says.
This is due to a predicted rise in the number of people in England with dementia, the King's Fund study argues.
In total, it will cost £47bn a year, compared with £22.5bn in 2007, the think tank said.
The early detection of mental problems and prompt therapy could help the wider economy by keeping those affected in work, the report added.
The fact that we are living longer is cause for celebration, but it will mean that the health and social care systems will have to cope with a dramatic increase in the number of people suffering from dementia
Niall Dickson, of the King's Fund
Britain's ageing population means that diseases of old age are set to rocket in the next two decades, according to the King's Fund.
It is predicting a 61% rise - hundreds of thousands of extra cases a year.
This, coupled with inflation in healthcare costs, is almost completely responsible for the rise in the annual bill shared between the NHS and social care services.
Niall Dickson, the chief executive of the King's Fund, said: "The fact that we are living longer is cause for celebration, but it will mean that the health and social care systems will have to cope with a dramatic increase in the number of people suffering from dementia."
The incidence of other mental disorders, such as depression and schizophrenia, is expected to stay roughly the same, said the report.
In 1997, in addition to the £22.5bn directly spent by the NHS and social care providers, it is estimated that the mental disorders cost the economy an additional £26.1bn, as people affected were unable to work.
Mental health bill 'will spiral'
The cost of caring for people with mental health disorders is expected to spiral, a report says.
This is due to a predicted rise in the number of people in England with dementia, the King's Fund study argues.
In total, it will cost £47bn a year, compared with £22.5bn in 2007, the think tank said.
The early detection of mental problems and prompt therapy could help the wider economy by keeping those affected in work, the report added.
The fact that we are living longer is cause for celebration, but it will mean that the health and social care systems will have to cope with a dramatic increase in the number of people suffering from dementia
Niall Dickson, of the King's Fund
Britain's ageing population means that diseases of old age are set to rocket in the next two decades, according to the King's Fund.
It is predicting a 61% rise - hundreds of thousands of extra cases a year.
This, coupled with inflation in healthcare costs, is almost completely responsible for the rise in the annual bill shared between the NHS and social care services.
Niall Dickson, the chief executive of the King's Fund, said: "The fact that we are living longer is cause for celebration, but it will mean that the health and social care systems will have to cope with a dramatic increase in the number of people suffering from dementia."
The incidence of other mental disorders, such as depression and schizophrenia, is expected to stay roughly the same, said the report.
In 1997, in addition to the £22.5bn directly spent by the NHS and social care providers, it is estimated that the mental disorders cost the economy an additional £26.1bn, as people affected were unable to work.
